


Body Heat: Lisbeth x Reader

by Cyberweasel89



Category: Sword Art Online
Genre: Acts of Kindness, Adorkable, Awkwardness, Bathing/Washing, Blacksmithing, Breasts, Chance Meetings, Cinnamon Roll, Cooking, Dorkiness, F/M, Fanservice, Fluff, HUSBANDO, Hot Weather, Muscles, Pajamas & Sleepwear, Perversion, Rain, Reader-Insert, Romance, Secrets, Slow Burn, Tanking, Towels, Underwear, cleavage, male!reader
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-30
Updated: 2017-02-06
Packaged: 2018-09-13 08:18:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9114730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cyberweasel89/pseuds/Cyberweasel89
Summary: Lisbeth was still trying to bounce back after falling for a certain swordsman in black. She didn't expect to have a fateful encounter with a mysterious player with a tank build. He's strong, kind, handsome, a little awkward, but... why does he seem to be hiding something?





	1. Warmth of Lava, Warmth of Kindness

August 20th, 2024

Lavos Caverns, 69th Floor of Aincrad

* * *

Materials for making metal weapons, shields, and armors could be found one of four ways in Sword Art Online.

Monster drops were usually the source for players not looking for them and just grinding. For players lucky enough to find one, treasure chests may contain forging materials as well. NPC vendors sold materials for crafting, but most players just ignored the ones relating to forging.

Forging was split into five Skills: Slash Weapon Forging, Thrust Weapon Forging, Blunt Weapon Forging, Light Metal Armor Forging, and Heavy Metal Armor Forging. Due to this, being a blacksmith took up more Skill Slots than any other vendor profession a player could choose. By contrast, a tailor needed only Tailoring, a chef only needed Cooking, and building only needed Carpentry and Lumber. Being a general item vendor had no clear Skills needed, though Tool Appraisal and Equipment Appraisal were advisable to avoid getting swindled by players hocking their stuff.

Raw ores could be found in those three ways, but another Skill was needed for forging such ores; Metal Refining. Most ores were pretty useless to players who weren't bkacksmiths or don't know one, so they usually sold them to NPC vendors or player vendors. As a result, the final collection method wasn't really bothered with except for players desperate for some extra change or blacksmiths themselves.

Collection points were environmental objects that gave a player a number of crafting items when struck. They usually glowed so players could better notice them. Some gave more than one kind of item but others only gave one kind. They were usually related to the environment they were in, so wood for example could be gathered from collection points in forests. Veins of ore gave raw materials for metal forging.

Collection point locations could at times be crowded with players all trying to mine the same materials. Most collection points also had a gathering limit for how much could be collected from them in a certain amount of time. This was usually a limit of five or six collections a day from one collection point, so competition between players for collection points could occur.  
  
Since the Front Line was at the 70th Floor, the 69th Floor was the new hot spot of Sword Art Online. Lower level players were still on lower floors, but the best materials and mob were here until the 70th Floor was cleared. Most players never went to the most recently cleared floor while it was still considered the Front Lines.  
  
As it turned out, the 69th Floor was a wasteland of volcanoes, lava rivers, and magma caverns. For ore veins, it was a mineralogical treasure trove. Kayaba Akihiko clearly did his research on how rich in minerals volcanic rocks could be because it had a lot of great metals in collection points. The 69th Floor was also about the only place in the game you could find obsidian and a few fantasy metals like hellstone.  
  
As the best player blacksmith in Sword Art Online, Lisbeth sometimes had to leave her shop's NPC assistant to tend the store while she collected materials herself. Otherwise she had to rely on using her profits to buy materials from NPC merchants or from other players. Metal prices were getting pretty high, at that. Normally Lisbeth tried not to gather materials on floors that had too many players because she hardly needed the competition for gathering limits, but... well, she kind of had a reason to push it.  
  
Last month she made her best sword ever, the Dark Repulser, for a player named Kirito. Making it involved a grand adventure that made her realize that even though this was a world of ones and zeroes, there were still things here that were real. The warmth of a person's hand, the warmth of their heart, their continued life. She'd fallen in love with a swordsman in black that day, but someone else had long claimed him. Lisbeth had no intention of stealing him from her best friend, but she'd take being his personal blacksmith. The fact that she was still getting over it and was worried she'd never find someone were things she'd just have to hide.  
  
Unfortunately, being Kirito's personal blacksmith had its challenges. She's already Enhanced both his Dark Repulser and Elucidator to +40. Why he needed both was their little secret, hee hee! She was also repairing his equipment after each big field excursion. Right now, Kirito and Asuna were out on some big raid against a red guild and Lisbeth knew Kirito would need his swords repaired when he came back. With metal prices skyrocketing she had to take gathering materials into her own hands to keep up.  
  
The 69th Floor may have been the most recent floor Cleared but not everyone liked venturing far from the towns to grind. While the towns of the 69th Floor were a bit steamy and even had natural hot springs, the rest of the 69th Floor was nothing but smelly, hot lava and magma. Brimstone didn't exactly smell like roses. While the game mechanics of Sword Art Online meant you couldn't get heatstroke or fall prey to the convection effects of lava, it was still uncomfortably steamy in most of the 69th Floor. Lisbeth hadn't seen another player in quite a while but she kind of wished she had waited until Asuna or Kirito were available to accompany her. As the most recent floor Cleared, the enemies were pretty tough and several of the collection points were right in their spawn zones. Nothing her mace couldn't handle of course, but she could easily fall prey to being attacked if she focused too hard while collecting from a mineral deposit.  
  
The primary enemies of the 69th Floor seemed to be fiery golems called Firestones and heat-thriving mammals called Molemen. Some fish-like monsters also seemed to thrive in the lava and liked to pop out to spit molten balls of magma at passing players. Luckily this cavern network Lisbeth stumbled upon didn't have pools large enough for the lava fish to spawn but it seemed downright hotter in the cave, like a convection oven.  
  
Lisbeth wiped her brow after another pound on the glowing vein on the wall with her hammer. She'd already collected a lot of iron, sulfur, obsidian, hellstone, and lots of other rare and valuable metals but... well, the day was young. Her NPC store-tender Hanna Heinemann could handle any sales while she was gone. With a swipe of her hand, Lisbeth opened her menu and searched through her inventory for the flasks of water she packed. Selecting one, it digitized into her hand and she took a swig. Sighing, she pulled at the chest plate of her light armor as if trying to air herself out.  
  
Hmmmm... It was pretty empty around here... This cave was hard to find. Surely even if someone did stumble upon her, they would understand. Pulling up her equipment menu, Lisbeth unequiped the waitress uniform-like dress she usually wore around her shop, standing in just her underwear, boots, and armor. She imagined it looked a bit lewd, but... to hell with lewdness. She was burning up over here!  
  
Turning back to the collection point, she struck it one more time with her hammer. Another piece of ore was added to her inventory, but the blacksmith pouted when she noticed the collection point stopped glowing. Only four strikes and it was drained? Talk about a dinky collection point! Grumbling to herself, Lisbeth sheathed her hammer and turned to move onto the next collection point.  
  
Grooooowllll!  
  
The blacksmith whipped around to see three molemen spawn. Dammit... she should've figured. It was a pretty big opening in this part of the cavern, perfect for some mob spawns. Whipping out her One-Handed War Hammer, the Zoringen Hammer, she took a battle stance. One of the molemen loosed a howl and charged for her and Lisbeth was right about to hit it with a Sword Skill when-  
  
"Hiya!"  
  
She nearly fell over, stopping her Sword Skill before she hit the large figure that had suddenly got in her way. Her dark pink eyes whipped up to see a male player in... golden heavy armor? Ugh, how incredibly gaudy... You came out of absolute nowhere and took the moleman's blow for her with a shield that almost looked like a round mirror, it was so reflective. Her eyes scanned your broad-shouldered form, likely looking larger than it was due to your heavy armor, to see your left hand held a saber with an entirely black blade. You used One-Handed Curved Swords? That was an odd choice. Most players stuck to One-Handed Straight Swords when they wanted a one-handed blade. Even odder to choose to wield one with a shield. Shields alone were rare in this game. Most players didn't bother with them for one reason or another. Rapier wielders and players with Agility builds often found shields threw them off balance, while DPS players with Strength builds preferred Two-Handed weapons.  
  
"Hey!" Lisbeth called to you. "You just got in my way! I was just about to play some whack-a-mole!"  
  
You threw the moleman off yourself with a push of your shield, your curved sword glowing as you cut down the monster with a Sword Skill. You turned to face her, hefting your sabre over your shoulder in what you hoped was a cool pose.  
  
"Not to worry, I'm here to help! Just leave these gophers to me!" You assured her.  
  
"They're not gophers, they're-" Lisbeth's words were cut off as you lurched forward, a moleman having taken a swipe at your back and a chunk out of your HP. You whirled around, your sabre glowing again with another Sword Skill.  
  
"I don't need your help, I've got these things handled!" Lisbeth called as you tangled with the molemen. Sighing, she planted her hammer on the ground, leaning on it. A moleman spawned right behind her but she caught it in time to whirl around and ready her hammer... Only for the monster to go right past her and head straight for you. Odd, come to think of it, all the molemen were just fighting you. In fact, they were completely ignoring Lisbeth. Were you drawing their Hate?  
  
"Hate" was essentially the SAO version of what most games would call aggro. Hate determined what player had enemy attack priority. Players could draw Hate to themselves by getting the most attacks in but a few Skills like Howl, Fighting Spirit, and Spiritual Light also drew Hate and were favored by tanks. In fact, judging by your heavy armor and heavy shield, Lisbeth assumed you must have been a tank build. But how were you drawing so much Hate so quickly? Actually, your HP was really starting to dip from all the hits you were taking. Sighing, Lisbeth rushed in and bashed one of the molemen in the back with a Sword Skill. You blocked another moleman with your shield and cut down another with your sabre. Lisbeth bashed another moleman in the head and stood up against your back.  
  
"How are you drawing so much Hate? I haven't taken a single scratch yet," she asked, panting a bit. Not from exertion, though. It was hot in this cavern.  
  
"Gilded Armor, Mirror Shield, Chaos Sabre. They draw Hate," you explained. You weren't the least bit out of breath, she noted. Weird.  
  
"Equipment intended for getting Hate? You must be a tank," Lisbeth said.  
  
You grinned a proud grin. "Damn good one, at that! Close your eyes for a sec."  
  
"Why?" She asked.  
  
"Just do it," you instructed.  
  
Sighing, Lisbeth closed her eyes. You directed your shield at the moleman. "This'll only last a few seconds. When I give the signal, hit 'em with all you've got. Spiritual Light!"  
  
A bright light shined from the surface of your shield. The molemen covered their eyes in pain and staggered for you in a literal blind fury. Lisbeth swung her hammer around, bashing three away with a Sword Skill, while you charged for two other moleman and cut them down with a Sword Skill of your own.  
  
Only three molemen remained but once the blindness from Spiritual Light wore off, they paused. They stooding at attention like a wild animal that heard a predator approaching. Appropriately, they scattered once a pounding sound came from the tunnel ahead.  
  
Walking forward was a flaming golem of dark red rock veined with flaming magma. A Firestone.  
  
Lisbeth looked to you as you pressed a quick button, using Quick Change to swap from your black sabre to a metallic scimitar with a green hilt. "You're swapping weapons?" She asked.  
  
You nodded. "Chaos Sabre draws a lot of Hate, but it doesn't have much attack power. Useless when I'm fighting alone or against a single enemy. I keep this beauty on hand when I need some firepower. It's called Windshear. Found it in a treasure chest. It has increased stagger and knockback."  
  
"Uh-huh. Look, I can handle this thing on my own, so how about you just-"  
  
"What Level are you?" You interrupted.  
  
"Huh? I'm Level 61, why?" Lisbeth growled.  
  
"No offense, but you're underleveled for the 69th Floor," you explained, flinching a little at her glare. "Molemen are one thing, but Firestones are a cut above them. Here's what we'll do. I'll draw his Hate with Howl and make him stagger with Windshear. You launch strong Sword Skills at him while I keep him busy. Together, we should be able to take it down. You in?"  
  
Lisbeth sighed. "Fine, but I'm not paying you for this."  
  
"Wouldn't dream of it," you said.  
  
Taking a step forward and steadying yourself, you loosed a mighty roar. The Firestone visibly perked at the sound of the Howl Skill. With a burbling sound, it rushed froward towards you. You ran ahead to meet it, blocking its punch with your shield and hacking at it with your scimitar.  
  
Lisbeth was about to rush in when she felt something odd. She felt... stronger? And wait... her HP was getting a buff?  
  
"You have Howl, Spiritual Light, _and_ Fighting Spirit?" She exclaimed.  
  
You grinned, parrying another punch from the Firestone with your One-Handed Curved Sword. "I'm a very good tank!"  
  
Lisbeth growled. "Don't get cocky on me, buster!" She charged forward reeling the Zoringen Hammer back as it glowed with a powerful Sword Skill. Jumping and letting loose a cry, she landed her hammer hard on the Firestone's head just as it knocked you over with a punch.  
  
The flaming golem burst into digitized fragments. A menu popped up showing how much EXP and Gold Lisbeth received. Oh, and it dropped a Flame Rock! Sweet! Lisbeth looked down at herself as she glowed golden, the XP from the Firestone having apparently been enough for her to Level to 62. She selected to put two points into Strength and one into Agility. Turning, she saw you pulling a red Potion out of your inventory and popping it open, giving it a chug.  
  
"You know, you didn't have to do that. I had it handled, ya know," Lisbeth grumbled, crossing her arms over her breastplate.  
  
After you chugged the Potion, you turned to give the blacksmith a grin. "Well... I'm a tank. It's my job to protect people."  
  
The girl sighed. "Oh, great... are you one of those roleplayers? Can't you give it a rest?"  
  
You pulled open your inventory again and retrieved a wrapped sandwich. "Hungry?"  
  
Lisbeth was about to protest when her stomach growled. A blush came to her face. You chuckled and tossed her the sandwich, then retrieved one for yourself. Shrugging, she bit into it. Hmmm... Chicken, provolone, and lettuce? Not bad.  
  
Seeing that you were still sitting, the blacksmith fell to the ground next to you, pulling her legs into a pretzel position. Opening her interface, she accessed her inventory and retrieved two flasks of water, tossing you one. You fumbled with it a bit, causing Lisbeth to suppress a giggle.  
  
"Hey, was that a smile?" You asked, popping the cap on the flask. "I must be doing something right!"  
  
Lisbeth pouted. "Well... I guess it was nice to have someone watching my back. I'm normally alone when I come to mine collection points. Either that or I'm arguing with other players for who has dibs on one."  
  
You chugged the water, taking greedy gulps. After pulling the flask away from your mouth, you sighed in satisfaction. "Well, I don't have anything else to do today," you said. "I could keep mob off you while you mine."  
  
The blacksmith narrowed her eyes at you. "Uh-huh. And what's in it for you?"  
  
You looked away, blushing a little. "I just wanna protect people... It's why I chose a tank build."  
  
Lisbeth's eyes softened. Hmm... Well, it would be nice to have some company. "Fine. But afterwards, I'm taking you to my shop so I can repair your stuff."  
  
You perked at that, turning to look back at her. "You're a blacksmith?"  
  
She smiled smugly. "The best in SAO."  
  
"Oh, so that's why you were out here mining alone."  
  
"Uh-huh! You may claim to be a very good tank... but I'm a very good blacksmith!" She stuck her chest out proudly.  
  
"Do blacksmiths usually mine in just their armor and underwear?" You asked, pointing.  
  
Lisbeth froze. After an awkward silence, realization dawned on her and she reeled her hand back.  
  
Ow. Now you needed another Potion.


	2. Cold Rain, Hot Tea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After finishing up their material collecting, Lisbeth and her new tank friend head back to her shop so she can service his weapons. But rain seems to be coming and Lisbeth's new friend seems to be acting odd...

August 20th, 2024  
Lavos Caverns, 69th Floor of Aincrad

* * *

Lisbeth walked with her arms crossed. She was thankfully fully dressed again, albeit now paying for it with the heat. Her new friend was behind her... and you had barely been quiet for five minutes at a time since following her to the next area with collection points.  
  
"Hey, are you mad at me? I wasn't looking, honest! I mean, you do have a really nice figure, but-I mean, it's not like I knew that blacksmiths usually mined in their underwear! Hey, I-... Wait, I don't even know your name... Hey c'mon, why aren't you talking to me? I said I was sorry..."  
  
Lisbeth sighed. She had to admit, she overreacted. She wasn't even all that mad... she was just surprised and reacted out of reflex. Spinning around, you stopped in your tracks, skidding to a halt just inches in front of her. She tapped her finger against the chest of your armor, noting how you were about a head and shoulders taller than her. That armor must've really added some height.  
  
"Look, it's okay. It wasn't your fault. I just kind of acted on instinct there." She placed her hands on her hips and smirked up at you. "When we get back to my shop, I owe you a free healing potion, got it?"  
  
You smiled down at her. She had to admit, you had a nice smile, if a dorky one. She swiped at the green icon over your head in her field of vision, pulling down her menu and sending you a Party request. "This way we can keep track of each others' health easier." She felt her smirk soften into a smile as you, after a moment's hesitation, accepted the Party invite.  
  
"Lisbeth, huh?" You asked, reading the name in the corner of your HUD.  
  
Lisbeth smirked, crossing her arms. "Yup! Now you know my name! As for you, uhh..." She squinted at her own HUD. "How do you pronounce this? Look, I'll just call you Gil instead."  
  
"Gil?" You asked, quirking an eyebrow.  
  
"Yeah. Have you seen that armor? Gilded to the point of being gaudy. So... Gilded. You're Gil."  
  
You blushed, reaching up to rub the back of your head. "I... never had anyone give me a nickname before..."  
  
Lisbeth felt a blush come to her own face. She hoped she could blame it on the heat if you noticed. "Really? You must be one of those shut-ins... Come to think of it, that might explain why you honestly think blacksmiths in this game mine in their undies. All that NEETing can't be good for your common sense." She smirked.  
  
You tapped your gauntlet-clad fingers together nervously. "Uh, yeah... Th-That'd explain it. So then... Why _were_ you in your underwear?" You asked, tilting your head to the side a little.  
  
Lisbeth crossed her arms and huffed, turning her head and pouting. "I was just getting hot, is all... I didn't think anyone would be around. Come to think of it, why don't you seem hot at all?"  
  
Again you seemed oddly nervous. Lisbeth couldn't help wondering why her questions would make you uncomfortable. "Because, uh... Ya know. Mind over matter and all. I just imagine a cold place and I beat the heat. Besides, I'm from a pretty warm place."  
  
Lisbeth tilted her head to the side. "Okinawa?"  
  
You got even more uncomfortable, this time wringing your hands together in a clearly nervous gesture. Were you... sweating? "Uh... Something like that?"  
  
Lisbeth decided to let it slide... for now. "Huh. Maybe you can invite me over for a vacation next winter. Once we get out of this game, of course."  
  
You seemed to be stammering for a proper response. Thankfully Random Number Jesus seemed to be on your side since not one but two Firestones spawned around you.  
  
"Look, enemies! Stay behind me, Liz!" You exclaimed... a bit too hastily, Lisbeth noted. Like you were relieved for the interruption.  
  
You loosed a Howl and drew your scimitar, the Firestones heading straight for you and ignoring Lisbeth. Growling at being left out, Lisbeth ran up and starting beating one in the back with a Sword Skill from her mace. To your credit, you really seemed to be at a pretty high Level. Your Windshear already had one Firestone to half and you were blocking its blows with your shield. You also seemed to have the Parry Skill, using your scimitar's Sword Skills to deflect the monster's punches.  
  
The other Firestone was really hammering into your armor, though. Lisbeth noted some particles coming right off it. It was really losing Durability. Nuh uh! She was not letting your armor get destroyed on her watch! Not when she'd just nicknamed you after it!  
  
Charging a powerful Sword Skill, Lisbeth let loose a battle cry and slammed her mace hard into the second Firestone's back with a jumping downward swing. The stagger knocked it off its feet just in time for you to kill the first Firestone. Not one to stand back and let you take care of it yourself, Lisbeth waited a moment for her Sword Skill cooldown to wear off. After you landed two Sword Skills against the downed Monster, Lisbeth again charged in with her mace. When the second monster burst into polygonal fragments, Lisbeth set her mace down and used it to prop her elbow on.  
  
"Hey, don't mean to be a buzzkill, but how's the Durability look on your armor?" She asked.  
  
You swiped open your menu and went through your inventory. After a glance at your equipment screen, you grimaced. "Eesh... It's at about 5% Durability."  
  
"Okay, that's enough adventuring for today. Got a Teleport Crystal? We're heading to Lindarth so I can fix up your gear." Lisbeth said, sheathing her mace.  
  
You cast a look at Lisbeth that struck her like you were concerned. "Don't you need to collect materials?"  
  
Lisbeth huffed, placing her hands on her hips. "Yes, but I won't be responsible if your armor breaks. Not I'll meet you in Lindarth and I'll walk you to my smith shop. Let's go."  
  
Lisbeth reached into one of the satchels on her waist and pulled out a Teleport Crystal. Holding it up, she spoke. "Teleport Lindarth!"

* * *

August 20th, 2024  
Lindarth, 48th Floor of Aincrad

* * *

Lisbeth materialized at the Teleport Gate in Lindarth, the main settlement of Aincrad's 48th Floor. The city was characterized by its abundance of canals, waterwheels, and support-class shops. Besides Lisbeth's Smith Shop in Lindarth's southern district, Ashley's was located in the northern district. Ashley was the best crafter of clothing in all of SAO, with a Completed Tailoring Skill. Her store was even three times the size of Lisbeth's.  
  
It wasn't long until you materialized in the Teleport Gate behind her. You stumbled a bit in your entrance, causing the blacksmith to suppress a giggle. That heavy armor couldn't be graceful. She turned around, waving for you to follow. "C'mon, Gil, follow me. I'll lead you to my shop."  
  
You followed wordlessly behind her, gazing around at the shops with a wide-eyed wonder. It was kind of cute, actually. "Is this your first time in Lindarth?"  
  
"Yeah..." You said breathlessly. "So many shops!"  
  
Lisbeth found that a bit odd. "Didn't you pass through it while leveling as the Floors were opened?"  
  
You cleared your threat, even forcing an awkward cough a bit. "Oh, uh... Yeah, of course I did! Just been a long time since I've been here. I usually hang around the upper floors. Tanks are more useful there."  
  
Lisbeth frowned at that. Hmm... She'd let this slide again. "Oh. Makes sense."  
  
It seemed a lot of people were out shopping. Odd, since the skies were oddly gray for the late afternoon. Lisbeth couldn't help but notice some of the girls pointing at you and whispering.  
  
"Do you see that tank in gold armor? He has a curved sword. Curved. Sword."  
  
Lisbeth glanced back at you. You seemed indifferent to their whispers. You had sheathed your scimitar, Windshear, at your waist, where it was clearly visible to the girls. Your shield was strapped to your back and Lisbeth had to admit it looked kinda cool. Though the way you were staring at the shops like a boy on his first outing to an amusement park kind of hampered any cool image you could've cultivated. Still, she had to admit, One-Handed Curved Swords was a rarely-chosen Skill, especially to wield with a Heavy Shield.  
  
"Hey, Gil? Why'd you choose One-Handed Curved Swords, anyway?" She asked.  
  
You gave a small start at that. After a moment's thought, you shrugged. "I dunno. It just felt right. I wanted to be a tank to save and protect people, but... I can't really tell you why I chose curved swords. I guess I just figured most people would be going with straight swords and that sabres and scimitars are pretty cool."  
  
Lisbeth thought back on a certain Black Swordsman who let her in on his little secret. Not to mention all her requests for custom orders and repairs... "Yeah, One-Handed and Two-Handed Straight Swords _are_ pretty common."  
  
"It's gonna rain soon..."  
  
Lisbeth stopped. They were still a few blocks from her shop, but... What? "Gil, I know the sky is a bit cloudy, but how do you know it's going to rain?"  
  
You shrugged, looking up at the sky. "Just a feeling I'm getting."  
  
Lisbeth huffed, spinning around and continuing walking. "Why are so many of the men in my life so weird?" You chuckled at that.  
  
A couple blocks later, after an awkward silence, Lisbeth ate her words when she felt a droplet on her nose. Reaching her palm out, she felt another. Within seconds, it was pouring. Lisbeth turned to order you to run, but... where was the rain? She looked up to see you holding your shield over her.  
  
"Hop into my other arm. I admit, I'm a Strength build and while I don't have the Sprinting Skill I can hopefully run us there if you direct me. My shield should keep you dry," You instructed, a goofy grin on your face.  
  
Lisbeth, still midly wet despite the timely rescue, felt a blush come to her face. She wrapped her arms around herself, looking away. "But... what about you?"  
  
"Don't worry about me! My armor should keep me pretty dry."  
  
Lisbeth opened her mouth, her face getting redder, but then shook her head and smacked her cheeks to get some sense back into her. Focus, Lisbeth! She is not about to let some tall, broad-shouldered, strong, kind, compassionate, handsome boy carry her like a princess to her sho-Wait, why was she moving?  
  
Yup, sure enough, she was being carried in one of your arms while the other held your shield over your head. "Hey! Gil! What the heck? I never agreed to this!"  
  
"Sorry!" You said between pants. "Didn't have time to wait around all day for you to answer!"  
  
Lisbeth crossed her arms, pouting. Still, within moments and a few pointed directions, you were at her smith shop. Her NPC store tender was even waiting at the counter. You let the blacksmith down with a gentle touch. Once she was sure her face wasn't _too_ red, she unlocked the front door and gestured for you to come inside.  
  
"Leave your armor on the counter. You can use my bath while I get some tea going," she offered, still feeling flustered from the right over.  
  
She didn't wait around to see you do what she asked. Instead she ran straight for the back to get some tea brewing.  
  
After de-equipping herself down to her underwear through her menu, Lisbeth looked through her inventory for something to wear. Her uniform was kind of wet, but it was late enough that she could close the shop. She just needed something dry. She decided on a simple pink powder-colored camisole and matching PJ pants she'd picked up at Ashley's. She could always get changed into something less casual when you came down after your shower.  
  
After going through the various menus and taps to get the tea made, Lisbeth went out to the front of her shop to see your armor sitting on the counter. She checked the name and description. Gilded Armor. Status Effect: Ostentatious. Draws enemy Hate. Odd, for a player adventuring so close to the Front Lines, it wasn't Enhanced at all. Well, first thing's first, repair time. She'd see about Enhancing it for you later.  
  
Lisbeth added the armor to her inventory and padded in her bare feet back into her forge. She placed it on her workbench and set to work hammering into it to bring its Durability back up. Biting her lip, the weight of the situation was dawning on her a bit.  
  
She had a boy upstairs using her shower. This was... well, certainly not something she'd ever do outside of SAO. At least, she never thought she would. And a cute boy, too. Kind, chivalrous, strong. She wondered what you looked like under that armor... "Hey, Liz. Thanks for the tea."  
  
"You're wel-KYA!" Lisbeth jumped, dropping her hammer as she whirled around to see you standing in the doorway to her forge. You were wearing just a towel around your waist, and, and... Wow. You were... surprisingly buff. Was that... Was that a six-pack? And so tall... She assumed it was the armor that made you so tall and broad-shouldered but... was that build really natural? Or did Kayaba Akihiko's avatar customization disabling not work on you?  
  
"You okay, Liz?"  
  
It was only then that Lisbeth realized she was staring with her jaw hanging open. Ugh, and her face was beet red! Out bad thoughts, out bad thoughts, out bad thoughts!  
  
"Gil? Uh... Wh-Why are you not dressed?" The blacksmith stammered, her finger shakily pointing at the tall, muscled, cute, hunky boy standing half-naked in her shop.  
  
You looked down at yourself, then back up at Lisbeth with a shrug. "My clothes were wet."  
  
"So just put on another pair from your inventory!"  
  
"I... kinda don't have any. Heh."  
  
Lisbeth felt she should smack her own forehead, but... she was too busy staring at your pecs. Okay, Lisbeth. Calm down. Calm down. She could handle this. She could handle a hunky beefcake with a compassionate personality hanging around her shop until his clothes were dry and his armor was repaired. But... why did that hunk have to be you? Why couldn't you just be a scrawny geek under that armor? It would've made this so much easier on her! Well, okay, not really, but... NOT THE POINT!  
  
"Uh... Gil!" She barked in what must have been a shrill voice. Oh, jeeze, did her voice just crack? "Why don't you go upstairs and help yourself to some food from my kitchen! I'll let you know when your armor is, uh... done."  
  
"Sure! Think my clothes'll be dry before it's dark?" You asked, smiling an oblivious smile. Ugh, why did the hunky ones have to be so dense?  
  
"Well, you can just spend the night in that case!" She only hoped she didn't sound hysteri-WAIT WHAT DID SHE JUST SAY?  
  
"You sure, Liz? I mean, I wouldn't want to impose..." Ugh, she wasn't sure what was worse. The fact that you felt guilty about staying the night or those triceps. Probably the triceps.  
  
"Yup! No problem! Make yourself at home, Gilly-Willy!" Lisbeth, what the heck? How could she be doing this? It's like her mouth was moving on its own!  
  
"Well... Let me know if you need any help. I know! How about a cook you dinner?" You offered, grinning.  
  
"Fine! Sure! Whatever! Just let me work!"  
  
Turning around, Lisbeth picked up her hammer and began pounding away at the armor. It was only after she'd properly beaten out her (sexual) frustration that the gravity of what just happened dawned on her...  
  
A boy was staying the night... And he was making her dinner... It's like having a husband she didn't know could coo-WAIT HE HAS THE COOKING SKILL?!


	3. Hot Food, Hot Bath

August 20th, 2024  
Lindarth, 48th Floor of Aincrad  
Lisbeth's Smith Shop  
  


* * *

  
Lisbeth's bare feet padded along the floor of her forge as she paced back and forth.  
  
"Okay, Rika. Try to stay cool. Take stock of the situation. You met a cute boy while out gathering materials. You invited him home. He used your bath and now he's making you dinner in just a towel..."  
  
...HOW DID THINGS ESCALATE THIS QUICKLY?!  
  
Okay, zen thoughts. Zen thoughts. As Lisbeth paced back and forth, she noted the jostling motion of her bust. While there was no pain in Sword Art Online, Lisbeth's pacing made her _uncomfortably_  aware that she wasn't wearing a bra right now. Just a camisole and PJ pants. Should she change into something more presentable? Oh, but she didn't want you to think she was dressing up for you... Eep! Or worse, slipping into something more comfortable! And come to think of it, you'd just be in a towel, so it wasn't like she was underdressed.  
  
"Liz! It's ready!"  
  
The sound of your voice calling her made her spine go rigid. Cute boy! Dinner with a cute boy! Now or never, Liz, now or never!  
  
"C-Coming!" She called back upstairs, her voice cracking. Ugh, she hadn't been this uncomfortable around Kirito! But then again, Kirito wasn't head and shoulders taller than her, nor did he have rippling back muscles and-  
  
"Okay, Rika. Personal challenge. You are going to get through dinner tonight without staring at Gil's pecs. Or his abs. Or his triceps. Or his biceps. Or his broad, rippling shoulders. Or his-No, no. Compromise. You can stare at his cute, dorky smile. Agreed, Rika? Agreed."  
  
Great, and now she was talking to herself. Ugh, the things a teenage girl did when hormones were bubbling up like a crock pot.  
  
Steeling herself, she stepped up into her shop and turned the corner to the stairs to her second floor. The first floor was Liz's shop proper, but the second floor was her living space. Bed, desk, table, sofa, storage trunk, kitchenette, a small attached room for her NPC shopkeeper, and even a separate bath. While players in Sword Art Online still needed to eat and sleep, they never had to use the bathroom. As a result, there wasn't a single toilet in Aincrad, so bathrooms were purely dedicated to bathtubs. She'd made sure that, in addition to a room with a forge, her room had a bathroom so she could take nice, hot baths. The Cardinal System had trouble accurately simulating the feeling of hot bath water, but it was still a nice way to relax at the end of the day and feel clean.  
  
Walking into her living quarters, she honestly expected something like sandwiches. What she didn't expect was...  
  
"Gil? What's all this? Is that spaghetti?" And judging from the meat, sauce, vegetables, and basil on top, fancy spaghetti!  
  
"Dig in!" You said, a grin on your face as you gestured to the spread on the table. "I noticed you had some high-class red wine along with beef and vegetables, so I tried making a caponata with the veggies on hand. Then I tried flavoring the pasta with the beef and red wine."  
  
Lisbeth's jaw was hanging open. "Where did you get the herbs and spices?"  
  
You rubbed the back of your head. "I already had them in my inventory. I actually wanted to cook up some of the shellfish I had on me first, but my Cooking Skill wasn't high enough and... well, the little enemy crab defeated me with its big, meaty claws," you said, grinning at your own joke.  
  
"You... have the Cooking Skill?" She asked, amazed.  
  
"Well, yeah. I enjoy cooking. It's fun. The game system makes it a little too easy, but I do enjoy the results," you explained.  
  
Lisbeth flopped down into a seiza position on the opposite side of the table from you. She grabbed her fork and twirled some of the pasta around it, bringing it up to her mouth. Wow... you could give Asuna a run for her money.  
  
"Yup... It's like having a boyfriend who I thought couldn't do any housework be surprisingly good at cooking..." Lisbeth mumbled to herself as she chewed.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Uh, I said it's delicious, Gil!" She hastily corrected.  
  
"Oh, good! Thanks..." You said, blushing and rubbing the back of your head. You sat down and began eating yourself.  
  
She noted that for a big guy and a bit of a goofball, you had pretty good table manners. This was actually going surprisingly well. She just had to avoid staring at your chest. Your muscled pecs, and your six-pack abs, and your broad shoulders and... she was staring at your chest. Dammit.  
  
She looked up at your face to see your gaze directed downward. Maybe a little _too_ downward. When Lisbeth finally tore her eyes off your chest, she saw you were staring at her cleavage. The height difference likely helped with that view. Blushing, she placed her hand over her bust and turned a little to the side. That seemed to snap you out of your gaze and you looked away, blushing yourself.  
  
Lisbeth always noted she was one of the more... blessed girls in her freshman class of high school. An 86D-cup, she was actually bigger than her friend Asuna's 80C-cup. Her waitress-like blacksmith uniform and light armor just didn't show them off much. She should probably call you out on staring, but... well, she was doing the same thing, wasn't she? Had the genders been flipped, she'd have essentially been staring at your tits, so... no harm, no foul, right? This time, anyway.  
  
"Uh, so, Gil..." She needed a topic of conversation. Anything to end this awkward moment! She looked up at the corner of her HUD and saw that you and her were actually still in a Party. "I don't see any symbol next to your name. You're not in a Guild?"  
  
That seemed to relax you a bit. "Yeah, I'm a solo player, though I've been known to Party with minors members of the Clearer Guilds when they need another tank."  
  
"Huh. What made you decide to go solo?" She asked.  
  
And just like that, the relaxed mood was gone. "Uh... Well, I just never found a guild I liked, I guess..."  
  
"Really? But you said you became a tank because you wanted to protect and save people, right? Wouldn't that be easier in a guild? Or would that just tie you down to protecting only a single group?" Lisbeth asked.  
  
"Uh..." You tapped your fingers together, downright nervous. "S-Something like that..."  
  
Okay, this had gone on long enough. "Gil, you seem to get really nervous whenever I ask anything too personal. What's up with that?"  
  
"Oh, well uh..." You paused, as if trying to sort through your thoughts. "I just... I just met you today, is all. And this may be a VRMMO, but it's still online. Gotta be careful about personal info, right?"  
  
Lisbeth sighed. She... guessed she could accept that. But... "Wait, how old are you, Gil?"  
  
"Uhhh... S-Seventeen."  
  
She quirked an eyebrow at that, eyes scanning your height.  
  
"A-And a half."  
  
"Oh, so the same age as me. And yet you're so tall... Since our in-game avatars don't age, does that mean you were this tall when you were 15 when SAO began?"  
  
'Um... Uh... Y-Yeah... Just, uh... Good genes, I guess?"  
  
Lisbeth bit her lip. This was... weird. Then again, you did seem to be a shut-in from what you described. Maybe you weren't used to opening up to people? Though, come to think of it... were most NEETs this buff? I mean, look at those abs. Good god, you could grind meat on those.  
  
"Hm... Hey, Gil. You mentioned you didn't have any other clothes, right? How about tomorrow morning I take you to Ashley's to shop for some? I can also Enhance your equipment for you afterwards. Should give you a better chance of surviving on the front lines."  
  
"Uh... S-Sure... That'd be nice. Thanks, Liz."  
  
Lisbeth smiled up at you. "Great!"  
  


* * *

  
Lisbeth leaned back in the bath, sighing. There was definitely something odd about you. Kind, compassionate, dorky, shut-in like behavior, oddly uncomfortable talking about your personal life, yet tall and surprisingly buff. An odd combination for a player of Sword Art Online.  
  
Lisbeth gazed down, deep in thought, her eyes idly staring at her breasts bobbing on the surface of the water. There was a mystery here, she was sure of it. But what could it be? Maybe you were in some kind of witness protection program? No, that couldn't be it...  
  
Flipping around, Lisbeth rested her arms and chin on the edge of the bathtub, her rear sticking up out of the water. Maybe you were the rich son of a CEO and didn't want people befriending you for your money? Heh! Dream on, Lisbeth.  
  
Flipping around again, the blacksmith took a deep breath and dunked her head under the water. Hopefully the oxygen deprivation would kickstart her brain. It was entirely possible that you were just simply a socially awkward gamer geek who just happened to seriously work out a lot and didn't know how to properly open up to a cute girl. It seemed the obvious, most simple answer, but it... just didn't seem right to her.  
  
Her face turning blue, the blacksmith pulled her head out of the water, gasping for air. Sighing, she leaned back against the edge of the bathtub. Well, she'd be taking you shopping tomorrow, so... hopefully she could pry some answers out of you then.  
  


* * *

  
Lisbeth emerged from her bathroom wrapped in a towel, another towel drying her hair. She froze when she saw you on the sofa, but relaxed when she saw you were sound asleep. Huh, and you were a pretty peaceful sleeper, too. No snoring, no tossing and turning. You were probably pretty easy to share a bed wi-  
  
No, no, no! Bad thoughts, Lisbeth! Bad thoughts! But wait, she couldn't let you sleep on her couch like that. You'd get cold in just a towel.  
  
Lisbeth went to her storage trunk and retrieved a blanket. As she walked up to you, she stopped, noticing... your towel. It was... shifting.  
  
Okay, okay, Lisbeth. Calm down. Chances were, like most sane members of this game, you had your adult content filter enabled, which meant that all she'd see when that towel fell was-  
  
OH GOOD GOD  
THAT THING'S HUGE  
QUICK, BLANKET BLANKET!  
  
With a scramble, Lisbeth had the blanket placed over you, breathing out a sigh of relief. Ugh, her face was so red... How was she going to sleep tonight knowing that the only thing separating her from... _that_ was a single blanket? Curse her teenage hormones!


End file.
